The original Midnight Mod, the external text LCD display. This is an easy project to put together and requires very little beyond a good LCD. For this project, I picked up a Crystalfontz 20x4 serial display. I also picked up a plastic project box at the shack that the display would fit in; cutting holes for the display and connectors.

Then it’s just a matter of downloading the free software from Crystalfontz, or using your favorite LCD controller software and you are off an running with all kinds of useful data streaming directly to your desk.

A CDROM is not to useful without an open button. After a few times of trying to fix the stock button, which had broke I got the super glue out and accidently put to much on when sticking the button on the switch inside the faceplate causing the switch to well, be super glued open, and no longer useable. Excuse the pictures, camera's were not to great at the time this mod was done.

Lets get some tools out.

Soldiering iron and a momentary on switch.

I cobbled a quick connect out of the parts box. Then I grabbed some cat5 and stripped it and took out 2 wires.

I took the case apart to get the front board out and de-solder the front button out and to give me room to run the new switch wire.

You can see here that on the front board (on the left side) I have the new switch wires soldered into the board where the switch used to be. I have the wires setup to run out the back of the CDROM by the audio out.

I ran them out the back so you can't really see that the mod is there. More like a hidden modification. People always wanted to put CD's in to my computer, so this mod had other reasons as well, other then necessity.

Apparently, These are all the pictures I have. I ran the front button to where the system speaker is on the front of the case. It resembled a new reset button, nobody would ever think. The disconnect went soon behind the CDROM so you could remove the CDROM if need be. I left plenty of wire to move it wherever you needed too as well. I also installed the old button back onto the CDROM to give the appearance that it was still there, to fool unlikely people. This was a pretty easy modification to do, and made for a few giggles as well. The CDROM was a Phillips. It was an okay burner, but it didn't actually last much longer after this mod, maybe 1 or 2 months, with a total life of just over a year, unlike my Plextor which I have now which I've had for at least 5 years.